The Skylar Experiment : Beginnings

Chapter Ten - The Candy Lady

I STORMED THROUGH the double doors and across the hall to my locker. I found the pompous jerk as he was about to head to class.

"Hey!" I seethed. "You lying asshole!"

He raised a curious brow, not the slightest disturbed. "Someone woke on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

I let my bag fall to the floor with a heavy thud before I'd hurl it at him. "You think this is funny? Is this some practical joke you thought I might appreciate or do you just enjoy poisoning my life for some twisted reason I can't think of?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sunshine," he said dryly.

"Call me that again and I'll—"

He closed the locker and the next second he was right in my face, eyes packed with defiance. "Or you'll what, Sunshine?"

His voice was low and laced with warning. And that ticked me off. Something inexplicable and vile lurched in my stomach at his condescendence. Who did he think he was to treat me like an inferior? I was not scared of him.

My hand flew from my lap and aimed for his perfect face, but he caught it without even acknowledging it, like the gesture was second nature to him. I pushed and pulled to free myself from his grip, but it was as firm as it was painless. His warm hand wrapped over mine. I shot him an accusing glare.

"You're the one who messed up the car yesterday, didn't you? Or did you ask one of your friends to do the dirty job? Admit it. It was you."

Luc didn't let go. An irate flare sparked in his eyes. "From what I recall about that unpleasant encounter, our problem was in the fact there was nothing weird with your car and that you wasted my time."

He was messing with me somehow. The whole apology fixation hadn't been sufficient, and he needed something more intense. The fact that he took so much pleasure in this and that he went to the extent of acting coy was infuriating. I avoided people's weird stares and continued to glare at him. "I don't believe you."

Why would he do such a thing? I had no idea. But there were sick people who loved doing this—manipulating people for entertainment. Maybe he hated me so much that he wanted to make me miserable.

Luc blew out a big, aggravated sigh.

"I honestly don't know what you mean, and I don't care." He gave my hand a little shake. "I would never spare a moment on something so stupid. Especially on you. Now, I want to let you go, but I won't unless I'm sure you won't assault me."

I counted to ten, then breathed. This was all so ridiculous. I didn't understand what overwhelmed me in his presence. Slapping was not in my tendencies. Embarrassment as well as anger caused my cheeks to flame. I gazed at my hand in disbelief.

"I hate you," I murmured, not happy with myself, either.

"Feeling's mutual." He finally released his hold; my arm dropped at my side. Then, his mood shifted like a wind coming out of nowhere, and the apathetic brow twitched up again. "But since you took up so much of my energy, I should at least know what it was all over."

In the back of my mind, I wondered if this dude was even real.

I took the chance anyway. Maybe he knew what happened to the car despite not being involved? I briefly shared the details about the damage inflicted on the SUV, and I had to admit... I didn't think he had lied. That shrewd look on his face from last night returned for a split-second. He shrugged and distanced himself from his locker, regaining his composure.